Scared Stiff (1953)

Fleeing a murder charge, a busboy and a nightclub singer wind up on a spooky Caribbean island inherited by a young woman.

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Herbert Baker (screenplay), Walter DeLeon (screenplay)

Stars:

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Lizabeth Scott

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dean Martin	...	Larry Todd
Jerry Lewis	...	Myron Mertz
Lizabeth Scott	...	Mary Carroll
Carmen Miranda	...	Carmelita Castinha
George Dolenz	...	Mr. Cortega
Dorothy Malone	...	Rosie
William Ching	...	Tony Warren
Paul Marion	...	Ramon Cariso / Francisco Cariso
Jack Lambert	...	Zombie
Tony Barr	...	Trigger
Leonard Strong	...	Shorty
Henry Brandon	...	Pierre
Hugh Sanders	...	Cop on Pier

Storyline

Nightclub singer Larry Todd breaks off his romance with a beautiful showgirl when he realizes she's the girlfriend of a murderously jealous gangster. While on the run, Larry mistakenly believes he kills one of the mobsters and is helped to escape police by heiress Mary Carol, who smuggles Larry and partner Myron to Cuba. Mary has inherited a haunted castle on an isolated island and, ignoring ominous warnings and threats, decides to take possession. While there, the trio hunt for a hidden treasure and encounter a ghost, a zombie, and a mysterious killer.

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Plot Keywords:

screwball comedy | psychotronic film | singer | island | nightclub | 

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Taglines:

They're funnier than ever on the GIANT PANORAMIC SCREEN With Stereophonic Sound

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Musical | Mystery | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The lip-sync to a record of Carmen Miranda singing "Mama Yo Quiero" was previously done by Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy: Be a Pal (1951).

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Goofs

Larry and Myron cast multiple shadows in a castle lit only by their candle.

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Quotes

Larry Todd: We're going up to that castle!
Myron Mertz: What about that old woman?
Larry Todd: Oh, she's only trying to scare us.
Myron Mertz: Well, she's doing a really good job of it!

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Connections

Version of The Ghost Breakers (1940)

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Soundtracks

Bongo Bingo
(uncredited)
aka "San Domingo"
Written by Mack David and Jerry Livingston
Performed by Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis & Carmen Miranda

User Reviews

SCARED STIFF an excellent family comedy!

I know its now the 22nd of May 2006, but this film sticks in my memory. I first saw the great Comedy team Dean & Jerry way back in 1953 and this was the film I watched one rainy afternoon in a town called Walsall in Staffordshire, England. I was playing truant from school actually. But I remember laughing so much at Jerry Lewis that I was almost weeping. The film is a re-make of the Bob Hope vehicle The Ghost Breakers (1940) and even uses the same sets. The antics of the two are brilliant, and the business they work together is truly UNIQUE. I think that Jerry and Dean were the funniest of the teams of that era. I suppose that's why they were the highest paid duo in the world! Jerry wrote a lot of the visual gags, the scene where he is stuck in the trunk, and comes out doubled over, and the scenes in the Haunted castle with Jack Lambert as THE ZOMBIE likewise brilliant. Dean was a great foil for Jerry and Jerry was a great stooge for Dean. As I write Dean has gone, but Jerry is still with us at 80 years of age. Superb Film, superb and clean comedy. I recommend SCARED STIFF to you all.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Scared Stiff

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wallis-Hazen

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1